Tool for laying shoe filler



A. THOMA oct. 18, 1932.

TOOL FOR LAYING SHOE FILLER Filed March 51, 11931 2 Sheets-Sheet l [TM m i /v/ Ad/ Oct. 18, 1932. A. THoMA TOOL FOR LAYING sHoE FILLER l Filed March 3l, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l rprlLnY-.

.Wzdrew 772021 ,WZZ'oIvwys Patented Oct. 18, 1932 @FFECE ANDREW THOMA, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NORTH AMERICAN CHEMICAL COMFJl-.Y, OF CAMBREGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS TOOL FOR LAYING SHOE FILLER Appncanon fusa March :21, ien.V serial no. 525,599.

This invention relates to tools for iilling thebottom cavities of slices with plastic shoe filler of the character described in a series oi patents granted to the present applicant, Andrew Thoma, consisting mainly or" a comminuted body materiah'such as ground cork, and a sticky binder, such as wan tailings. Such shoe iiller when furnished to the shoe manufacturer in bulli form is usually preconditioned for use by heat vand moisture in a suitable machine furnished for purpose, and the operator then dips or scoops up from the mass, by means of a tool or spatula somewhat resembling` a putty kniie, a quantity of the iiller suitable tor filling a single shoe bottom cavity, then deposits it in the cavity and then spreads it throughout the Vcavity in somewhat the samemanner as a. mason lays mortar with a trowel. The blade of the tool is usually heated both to render the plastic filler more fluid and easily spreadable and to prevent the liller from sticking vto the tool. Examples of tools for performing this worl; are described in my Patent No. 878,688, dated` February 11, 1908 and in my Patent No. 808,227, dated December 26, 1905.

The present invention has to do with certain improvements in tools of the kind referred to by the use oi' which the work oi filling shoes by hand may be substantially improved in quality, ei'hciency and speed. In the new tool, instead of using the blade both `for dipping up theplastic shoe iiller and for spreading and molding it within the shoe bottom cavity as heretofore, l have provided two distinct elements, namely, a scoop or blade at the end of the tool opposite the handle for dipping up and deposit-ing a measurcd kquantity of iiller in the cavity and an intermediate molding member between th scoop and the handle for spreading and molding the filler in thecavity. The scoop is generally thin and flat and is designed for holding the correct quantity ot'v filler for a single shoebottom cavity. lt may also preferably be made detachable and interchangeable `with other scoops of other sizes appropriate for diiierent classes ot work presenting different si Ze cavities. molding member is provided with a cylindri- The intermediate or rounded molding surface for spreadg moldin and smoothing the filler in the sh e bottom cavity and may preferably conof a rotatine4 ci lindrical shell which spreads, molds and smooths the filler in the y by a rolling action. The intermediate ing member is made hollow and is provided with an electrical heating unit by which l the molding member is heated. The scoop,

although not directly heated by an internal heating unit, is suitably heated by conduction from the intermediate member in whichV the heating unit is housed.

ln the accompanying drawings which illustrate cert-ain embodiments of the invention y i Y lis aplan view-of one form of tool :tor laying shoe filler;

Fig-2 is a central longitudinal section of 1 the tool shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 oi Fig. l; Fig. l is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig.l 5 is a plan view of another form of tcol embodying certain modilications of the ln the embodiment of the invention shown a in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the body of the intermediate spreading and molding member is indicated generally at l, and at 2 is shown `an electrical heating unit mounted within the molding member. rlhe body 1 comprises lan inner nietal tube 3', which constitutes a caen f or housing for the heating unit, and

a cv monnnscd on the casing 3 and provided at its to bear against the side of a shoe and act as a guide for the tool in its movements back and forth in the spreading and molding ci the filler layer in the shoe bottom cavity. Vrt the vend .of the body l opposite the handle is secured a comparatively thin and generally iiat scoop 6, formed at its inner end with a threadel bossV 7 which is screwed tightly into the interiorly threaded end of casing 3. Thus the scoop is iiXed .to the tool and does not rotate with the roll 4. The

lrical, tubular roll or shell 4 rotatably inner end nearest theA handle with a flange scoop 6 may be varied in size and shape and may be readily interchanged with other scoops for different classes of work. The roll 4 is held against axial movement on the casing 3 by means of an annular shoulder 8 on the scoop 6 and a split ring 9 which is sprung into position in an annulargroove provided upon the exterior of casing 3.

The rear end of casing 3 extends beyond the tubular roll 4 into the bore of a. handle 10 fwhich is preferably made of wood or other nonheat-conducting material. rThe circuit wires for the electrical heatingV unit 2 are contained in a cord or cable 11 which enters through the bore of the handle 10 and extends through the rear end ofthe casing 3 to the terminals of the heating unit 2. The heating unit 2 maybe electrically insulated from the casing 3 if desired by a tubular sheath 12 of mica or the like. Y

InA the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive the intermediate molding member, indicated generally at 1a, is shown as made of a single piece of metal formed interiorly with a'chamber 13 in 'which is contained the electrical heating unit 2 insulated as inthe other form, if desired, from the metalV body la by a sheath of mica` 12. At its rear or inner end the molding .member 1a is made with an integral tubular extension 14 which extends into the boreof the wooden handle 10. The circuit wires for the electrical heating unit 2 enter .through the bore of the handle 10 Yandthe shank 14an`d Vare connected to the terminals of the heating unit. 2 within the hollovx7 of the member 1a. A short bushing 15 maybe .forced into position within the hollow of the member l to hold the heating unit 2 against endwise displacement. v

The Working side of the intermediate molding member 1El is provided with a rounded, generally cylindrical working surface 1b for spreading, molding and smoothing the filler layer in the-shoe bottom cavity as the tool is moved by hand back and forth across it. l

At its outer end opposite to the handle ythe molding member is formed with a. relatively thin and generally fiat scoop 6a. As shown in the drawings the scoop is made integral with the molding member but it could obviously be made detachable and interchange- 'able as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite side edges of the molding body are extended or broadened into wing-like structures 16 to provide a flat surface 17 opposite to the rounded molding surface 1b. This flat surface 17 may be used if desired in the final smoothing of the filler layer after it has been spread and molded into the slice bottom cavity. y

' In both forms illustrated the intermediate molding member is provided with a rounded,

generally cylindrical surface, in one form, Figs. l and V2, this surface being rotatable on an axis extending longitudinally of the tool and in the other form, Figs. 5 and 6, the surface being non-rotatable or stationary. If the comminuted or granular body material of the filler is comparatively coarse the rotatable molding member is recommended. If, on the other hand, the granulated body material of the filler is relatively fine the fixed or non-rotating rounded molding member may be used.V

In operation the workman dips up from the conditioned filler mass a quantity of shoe filler by means of the scoop 6 ory 6a and deposits it in the bottom cavity of the shoe to be filled. He then presses it down, spreads and molds it in the shoe bottom cav-ity by means of the roundedsurface of the intermediate molding member which rests on the wall of the cavity formed by the welt, in the case of a Goodyear welt shoe, or onthe inturned edge of the upper, in the case of a McKayA shoe, and spreads and pressesthe filler down in the cavity to the level of the surrounding walls byv a rolling or wiping action, as the case may be.

1. A tool for laying shoe filler in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, a scoop at the opposite end, an intermediate member connecting the handle and the scoop,

Vand a rotatable molding member on the intermediate member.

2. Atool for'laying shoe filler in shoe botltom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, a scoop at the opposite end, an intermediate member connecting the handle and the scoop, and a rotatable molding member mounted on the intermediate member on an axis longitudinal of the tool.

8..Atool for laying shoe filler in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, anintermediate member iixed to one end of the handle and having a rounded molded surface, and a scoop detachably secured to the intermediate member at the end opposite tothe handle.

l 4. A tool for laying shoe filler in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, an intermediate member fixed to' one end of the handle, a rotatable molding member on the intermediate member, and a scoop detachably secured to the intermediate member at the end opposite to the handle.

Y 5. A tool for laying shoe filler in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, a hollow casing iixed to the handle and projecting from one end thereof, an electrical heating unit within the casing, a molding member having a rounded molding surface outside of said casing, and a scoop detachably secured to said casing at the end opposite to the handle.

6. A tool for. laying shoe filler in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, a hollow casing fixed to the handle and projecting from one end thereof, an electrical heating unit within the casing, and a rotatable molding member surrounding said casing.

7. A tool for laying shoe ller in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle at one end, a hollow casing fixed to the handle and projecting from one end thereof, an electrical heating unit Within the casing, a scoop fixed to the casing at the end opposite to the handle and a rotatable molding member surrounding said casing.

8. A tool for laying shoe filler in shoe bottom cavities, comprising a handle and a molding member rotatable on an axis longitudinal of the tool, said rotatable molding member having a guiding flange at one end.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass., this 28th day of March 1931.

ANDREW THOMA. 

